


Numbers and Letters

by ChibiYoda



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Science Boyfriends, Science Bros, Soulmates, This Is My Ship and It Has Wrecked Me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-10
Updated: 2015-05-10
Packaged: 2018-03-25 21:26:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3825634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibiYoda/pseuds/ChibiYoda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Most people have a name on their wrist. A special few have a number.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Numbers and Letters

**Author's Note:**

> Don't mind me. This was my attempt at the the old soulmate trope that I adore so much.

Soulmates. Everyone has one, that’s a given. Every single person is born with a name imprinted on their inner left wrist. Not just any name, but the name of your purest, truest love. But what is not guaranteed is whether or not you’ll ever meet yours. It’s quite possible that they’re on the other side of the world, and the distance has made the bond-pull too weak to notice. Or there could have been a cosmic hiccup, and you were born in different generations. Perhaps a tragedy had befallen the other. There were so many variables in play that the outcomes couldn't always be favorable. Though instances like these weren't particularly common, they also weren't considered rare. And even for the unfortunate individuals who never found their true soulmates, there were still many people walking the earth that they could have a happy life with.

What was truly rare in the realm of soul bonds was having a number instead of a name. It would be completely plausible to go through life without ever meeting someone who had a number. Scientists have yet to figure out why this anomaly occurs, but many people – romantics they are often called, believe that the bond between these numbered souls is so exquisite, so perfect, that it is designated in this special way.

The number is not the same on each of the pair. No, that would be too easy. Seems the recipients of this special bond need to work a little harder to figure it out.

And if they do, those numbers will turn into names.

 

Of course Tony Stark would have been born with a number. He was special. One-of-a-kind. A rarity himself. He’d been fortunate to travel the globe, and interact with thousands of people. But in his whole life, he’d only met two others who had a number.

The first, a guy, did not jive at all with him. He rather irritated Tony actually. Tony didn't want to put any effort into trying to figure out if they were a match. He knew they weren't.

The second, a woman, held potential. She was quite nice, pretty enough, and funny. For some time they attempted to figure out any sort of connection to their numbers. They never did. It had been a mutual decision to let it go and move on.

It was getting to the point where Tony started to believe he’d never solve the mystery of good old number 77.

 

Of course Bruce Banner would have been born with a number. Nothing in his life could be simple. He’d traveled the globe out of necessity, and had never met anyone else who had a number. But it’s not as if he actually interacted with the majority of the people he crossed paths with. Since the accident, he purposely lived his life on the outskirts of society, and did his best to simply get by. Bruce kept his number hidden underneath his watchband. He didn't need the attention that it would draw. He had no time to dwell on it, even if he'd wanted to. How could it be possible that he would have a soulmate anyhow? Who in their right mind would want to be saddled with him? He wouldn't want to put anyone through that in the first place.

Still, from time to time he wondered if this number 26 could somehow be someone not only willing to, but also able to, handle him.

 

***

 

Tony tried not to stare too much while they were at the little shawarma restaurant. Bruce had done a good job of covering it back up with, of all things, a Band-Aid. But Tony had spotted it while he was waiting for Bruce to return to himself after the battle. Bruce had a number on his wrist. He already liked the guy well enough to offer, kind of insist, that he stay at Tony’s place for a couple of days to recuperate. But now his curiosity was running wild.

 

Tony had the presence of mind to keep his own covered and wait until the following evening when Bruce was better rested and a bit more comfortable with his surroundings, before he brought up the subject.

 

The pair had finished dinner and were unwinding in Bruce’s suite, as much of the penthouse was in shambles. They were sitting on the couch, having a beer and talking about everything and nothing when Tony’s patience on the subject finally gave out.

“I wanna show you something.” He began to unsnap a leather cuff he’d been wearing on his left wrist.

Bruce raised an eyebrow. “Do I want to see it?”

“Anyone ever tell you you’re a bit of a smartass?”

“Not if they want to remain one piece.” Bruce grinned playfully.

“Joking about the Other Guy. Good. That’s progress.” Bruce snorted at that, while Tony continued. “Let’s see if you can help me make some progress with this.” He held his now bare wrist out to Bruce.

Poor Bruce almost coughed up his beverage, he was so taken by surprise. “You have a number.” He stared at it with a kind of awe. “I've never met anyone who had a number.”

“Well you know, not everyone is special like me.” Tony was only half kidding about that assessment.

Bruce continued to stare at Tony’s wrist, but had become silent. Tony could see that he was going to have to pry this one out of Bruce. “So, you gonna show me yours?”

“My what?” Bruce was a genius, so he wasn't too good at playing dumb. Especially not when he’s just been shown something extraordinary and fascinating.

“Your number. I know you've got one.”

Bruce canted his head. Tony could be bluffing.

“I see the wheels turning and no, I’m not bluffing. I saw it when you changed back yesterday. Don’t worry. No one else was around.”

Bruce was reluctant to acquiesce, but he had a feeling that Tony was not going to let the matter drop until he did so. He also felt that he could trust Tony not to blab. Though exactly why he had that impression was a mystery to him. Since he lost his watch during all of the commotion, he was using one of the Band-Aids of which he’d always carried a supply. He peeled it off unceremoniously, and turned his wrist to Tony.

Tony admired the number. “26, huh.”

Bruce nodded.

“So you never figured out yours either?”

Bruce shook his head.

Neither man said anything for a long moment until Tony suggested, “Do you think maybe we should have a go at figuring out if ours have a connection?”

Tony’s voice was small. Quieter than Bruce had ever heard it up to this point. He found it laughably impossible that of all the people in the world, Tony Stark would be his match. But the look on Tony’s face made him feel a touch guilty for even entertaining the thought of not agreeing to his request. There was no mischievous grin. No levity in his tone. Tony seemed serious, and maybe just a little hopeful.

With a modest smile Bruce offered, “Sure, why not.” 

 

They spent the next few hours dreaming up every possible meaning for their numbers.

It certainly wasn't each other’s ages, or the years that they had been born in.

“An address?” Tony thought.

But neither had ever lived in a place with either of those numbers for its address.

They tried adding together the digits in their Social Security numbers and SAT scores, even the ZIP codes of the cities where they were born. They assigned numerical values to each of the letters in their names, but no sum of those values in any variation of their names added up to either 26 or 77.

Licence plate numbers (Bruce hasn't owned a car in years), telephone numbers (or one of those either), the list went on. They continued to grasp at straws until they thought themselves to sleep.

 

The unlikely couple awoke the following morning both slightly embarrassed to have passed out so awkwardly on the couch, as well as defeated that no theory they had come up with had panned out. Bruce had figured that it was too long of a long shot to begin with. Tony seemed to be taking it a little harder.

Tony decided they needed a pick-me-up, and what better way than showing Bruce around his awesome garage. There were hours worth of interesting things that they could have some fun with down there. So a half-hour later, they met at Tony’s sacred sanctuary.

 

Tony was enjoying showing him around, and Bruce was genuinely impressed with the selection of cars and motorcycles. Tony explained that he had an even better collection in Malibu…along with the remnants of the particle accelerator he’d built.

Bruce raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “You built a particle accelerator in your basement.” he said flatly.

“Hasn't everyone?” Tony winked. “We could go check it out some time. It’d be fun.”

After a while, they moved on to the skeleton of a new suit which Tony had recently begun constructing. Fascinated to see the inner workings, Bruce reached out to touch something on the model. As he did, his eye caught a glimpse of his wrist. He’d forgotten to cover up his number.

It hit him like a ton of bricks.

Tony noticed that Bruce had stopped talking, and looked over to see the other man’s stunned expression. “What?”

Bruce stared back at him. “26.” he began slowly. “Iron, Fe, number 26 on the periodic table… Iron Man.”

“An element?” Tony stood dumbfounded, and a little miffed that he hadn't thought of it himself. “So 77, that’s…”

“Iridium.” Bruce finished the thought.

Their minds sailed back to their introduction on the deck of the helicarrier. As Tony had been approaching, he’d heard Bruce utter that word and question why Loki would need it.

And Tony had answered him.

 

Bruce and Tony quickly looked down at their wrists just in time to see their numbers transform into names.


End file.
